Combination fuel and brake control means



Oct. 1, 1935. r A HANRATTY 2,015,717

COMBINATION FUEL AND BRAKE CONTROL MEANS Filed June 25, 1934 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Arthur D. Hanratty, San Francisco, Calif.

Application June 25, 1934, Serial No. 732,229

. Claims.

.and improved means operable from the brake pedal of an automotive vehicle for controlling the flow of fuel to the vehicle's motor.

Another object of my invention 'is to provide 10. a novel combination brake and accelerator control means for automotive vehicles which operates to automatically discontinue the flow of fuel to the vehicle's engine when the brake is applied to stop or retard the vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved control means of the type characterized which not only afiords a less expensive construction than the individual and independently operated foot accelerator and foot brake now commonly used on automobiles, but one which operates with greater convenience and satisfaction. 1

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out or will present themselves in the description of my invention which is to follow.

In the accompanying drawing: 7

Fig. 1 is a side view of a combined accelerator and brake control embodying my invention,

' showing parts broken away and in section;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-4 of Fig; 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear view, partly in section, of that part of the apparatus which is located beneath the dotted-section 3-3 line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of two cooperating memtaken on the line 5-5 of .ber's which are a part of the means employed to control the flow of fuel to the vehicles motor;

and

Fig. 7 is a side view of the two cooperating members illustrated in Fig. 6. V

Referring to the drawing the numeral l ind-icates a stationary supporting shaft having the; forked end of a brake operating pedal 2 rotatably mounted thereon. The upper end of the pedal is provided with a pivoted foot member 3 having a forwardly disposed flange 4 thereon to which is movably secured a rod 5. The rod 5 is also movably attached to one end of a bell crank 8 which is-pivotally mounted on the pedal 2, the opposite end of the said bell crank being pivotally connected to a depending rod 1. The pedal 2 is attached to a rearwardly disposed brake operating rod 8 which is ordinarily pulled forwardly to apply the brake by the movement in a forward direction of the said pedal. A spiral spring 9 serves to automatically return the rod 8 and the pedal 2 to a position in which the brake 5 is again released.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft l between the forked ends of the pedal 2 is a disc l0 having a forwardly disposed rod ll pivotally attached to its depending end, the said rod being connected 10 to an end of a centrally pivoted lever l2 which is connected at its opposite end to a rod I3 that is operatively connected in the usual manner to the throttle mechanism for regulating the flow of fuel to the motor of the vehicle. When the disc I0 is gradually rotated in a direction whereby its depending end is moved in a forward direction, the rods and lever are also actuated so as to cause the fuel to flow in increasing quanti- .ties to the motor of the vehicle. When the pressure is removed from the disc II! a spiral spring ll serves to automatically move the lever l2, the rods II and l3v and the said disc in a reverse direction thereby decreasing the flow of fuel to the motor. Also rotatably mounted on the shaft I adjacent the inner side of the disc I0 is a lever member l5 having the downwardly disposed end of the rod 1 pivotally connected to its depending end. The adiacent sides of the disc in and the lever member ii are provided with projecting parts It) and I5 respectively. When the foot piece 3 is moved about its pivot by pressing its upper end in a forward direction, the lower end thereof is actuated in a rearward direction, thereby causing the bell crank 6 to be turned so as to bring about the rotation of the lever member I5 in a clockwise direction. As the lever member I 5 is thus turned in a clockwise direction the projecting part I5 thereof engages with the projecting part IU of disc l0. After the engagement of the two projecting parts, the continued rotation of the lever member l5 causes the turning of the disc ID in a clockwise direction, thereby moving the latters depending end forwardly so as to cause the fuel control mechanism to gradually allow an increasingly greater supply of fuel to flow to the motor. When the inward pressure on the top end of the foot piece 3 is removed, the return movement of the disc l0, occasioned by the tension of the spring I4, automatically rotates the lever member 15 in a reverse direction, thereby causing the'return of the said foot piece to a position in which the top end is no longer pressed forwardly.

,Rotatablymounted on the shaft l between the forked ends of the pedal 2 and adiacent the opposite side of the lever member I5 is a wheel l6 having a groove IS on the upper side of its periphery. Extending downwardly through an enlarged opening in a cross piece 2' which bridges the space between and is carried by the two forked ends of the pedal 2, is a movable bar H. The lower end of the bar I! is normally positioned in the groove I6, but when the wheel I6 is turned. in either direction the said bar is elevated and its end rides out of the groove onto that part of the wheel's periphery located at a side of the said groove. The upper end of the bar I! is movably attached as at l8 to an end of a pivoted stop I member IS. The stop member is pivotally mounted, as at 20, on one. of the forks of the pedal 2, and the opposite end of the said stop member normally extends through a slot in the said fork between two of a number of teeth 2| of a stationary-.arcuate shaped rack 22 secured to the frame of the vehicle. A spiral spring 23 secured at one of its ends to that end of the stop memher to which the bar H is connected, and at its opposite end to the cross piece 2', serves to normally maintain the outwardly disposed end of the said stop member in engagement with the teeth of the rack 22. Only when the lower end of the bar I1 is positionedin the groove 16 of.

the wheel I6 is the stop member in engagement with the teeth of the rack; at other times when the wheel is positioned so the bar is moved upwardly and its lower end becomes positioned on the wheel's periphery, the stop member is moved about its pivot so as to cause the disengagement thereof from the teeth of the said rack. During the time the stop member l9 engages with the teeth of the rack 22 the pedal 2 is normally prevented from being moved either backwardly or forwardly, but when the wheel i6 is moved so as to cause the lower end of the bar I! to be raised *out of the groove IS the stop member is moved to a position free of the rack 22, thereby permitting the said pedal to be moved backwardly and forwardly. The teeth 2| of the rack 22 are gradually inclined at their rear sides, thereby permitting the stop member H! to be freed therefrom I should the pedal 2 be pressed in a forward direction with more than the usual force. So as to permit the driver of the vehicle to apply the brakes without the necessity of operating the device in the normal hereinafter described manner, the teeth 2| are constructed as above described. The position of the pedal may be adjustably changed by causing the stop member to engage.

with different teeth of the rack.

Secured to that side of the lever member l5 which is located adjacent the inner side of the wheel I6 is a lug l5a which is carried into engagement with the lug lta on the wheel when the said member is turned in a counter-clockwise direction. The lever member is moved in a countor-clockwise direction by pressing the lower end of the foot piece 3 in a forward direction. When .the foot piece is so actuated the rod 5 is bodily moved in a forward direction thereby causing the bell crank 6 to be turned so as to depress the rod I and move the lever memberin a counter-clockwise direction. The continued movement of the lever member in a counter-clockwise direction after the lugs I51; and 'llia are in engagement rotates the wheel IS in the same direction, thereby carrying the groove l6' to a position in front of and beyondthe end of bar H. The consequent raising of the bar by reason of its lower end riding up the side of the groove to theperiphery ,lower end of the foot piece 3. If, after the pedal 2. has been moved forwardly and the brakes are applied, the driver desires to operate the accelerator in a. manner which will cause the fuel to be fed to the motor in increasing quantities, he presses the upper end of the foot piece 3 forwardly while the pedal is held in a forwardly disposed position. I

The inner 'side of the wheel I6, at a point near its periphery and approximately opposite the lug Ilia, is provided with a protuberance I612. The disc l5, at a point near its periphery and in front of the lug l6b, is provided with a pivoted pawl l5b. After the brake has been applied and the upper end of the foot piece 3 is pressed forwardly 20 movement of the disc in a clockwise direction 25 with the pawl |5b in engagement with the protuberance l6b causes the said wheel to also rotate in a clockwise direction. The groove I6 is thereupon carried through and then forwardly of the end of the bar l7, thereby allowing the pedal 2 to an be moved rearwardly if it is desired that the brake be released; After the wheel [6 has been moved in a clockwise direction to a position whereby the end of the bar I1 is positioned on its periphery in front of the groove IS, the accelera- 85 tor may be manipulated to regulate the flow of fuel to the motor by the upper end of the foot piece 3 being moved back and forth while the pedal is held in a forwardly pressed position. The

disc 15 is capable of being turned in clockwise 40 and counter-clockwise directions while the pedal is held in a forwardly pressed position because the pawl I51), after it has moved the wheel IE to a certain position, drops into a cut out portion la on the periphery of the shaft. l and is thereby 45- freed of the protuberance Nib of the said wheel.

.The clockwise movement of the wheel I6 is stopped by the end of a screw I60 which extends through the lug I611, coming into engagement with a shoulder-provided on the shaft l at the 50 lower end of the cut out portion la.

It is to be understood that my invention is susceptible of numerous changes with respect to form, shape and minor details of construction.

It is,- therefore, to be understood that the ap- 65 pended claims shall determine the limits'my invention may assume rather than the exact disclosures herein made.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. Combination brake and fuel control com- 60 prising a pivoted brake control pedal having a brake operating means operatively connected thereto, a pivoted foot piece mounted on the pedal,- a stationary shaft, a rotatable member mounted on the shaft and operatively connected 65 to and adapted to be rotated by the pivotal movement of the foot piece, a second rotatable member mounted on the shaft and connected'to fuel control means, and means interposed between the-two rotatable members for causing the second rotatable member to be rotated by the first mentioned rotatable member.

2. Combination brake and fuel control comprising a pivoted brake control pedal having a brake operating means operatively connected 7a thereto, a pivoted foot piece mounted on the pedal, a stationary shaft, a rotatable member mounted on the shaft and operatively connected to and adapted to be rotated by the pivotal movement of the foot piece, a. second rotatable member mounted on the shaft and operatively connected to fuel control means, means interposed between the two rotatable members for causing the second rotatable member to be rotated in a certain direction by the first mentioned rotatable member when the latteris rotated'in the same direction by the pivotal movement of, the foot piece, and wring means for causing a rotation in a reverse direction of and the foot piece.

3. Combination brake and fuel control means comprising a pivoted foot pedal operatively connected to brake operating means, a foot piece pivotally mounted on the pedal, a rotatable member operatively connected to the foot piece and adapted to be'rotated in opposite directions by the pivotal movement of the foot piece in opposite directions, fuel control means adapted to be actuated in a certain direction by the movement of the rotatable member in a certain direction. spring means for moving the fuel control means e and the pivoted member in a reverse direction,

locking means for holding the pedal in a certain position, and means interposed between the locking means and the rotatable member and oper-v able when the rotatable member is rotated in a,

the rotatable members I 3. ating means, a foot piece pivotally mounted on the pedal, a'rotatable member, means operatively connecting the foot piece and the rotatable member whereby the rotatable member may be rotated by the-pivotal movement of the foot piece, 5 locking means for releasably holding the pedal in a certain position, and means interposed'between the rotatable' member and the locking means for releasing the latter when the rotatablemember is rotated 5. Combination brake and fuel control means comprising a pivoted foot pedal having brake operating meanskoperatively connected thereto, a foot piece movably mounted on the pedal, fuel control means, locking means for releasably maintainingthepedalinacertainpositima rotatable member capable of being rotated in opposite directions, motion transferring means connecting the rotatable member and the foot piece, whereby the rotatable membermay be rotated in a certain direction by the movement'of' the foot piece in a certain direction andin the opposite direction by, the movement of the foot piece in a diflerent direction; meansinterposed between the rotatable member and the fuel con-' 1 trol means for transferring motion to the fuel control means from the rotatable member when r 1' thelatterisrotatedinacertaindirectionbythe foot piece, and meansinterposed between the rotatable member and the locking means forreleasing the said locking means when therotat-1 able member is rotated in'the opposite direction by the foot piece.

by the foot piece in a 10 ARTHUR 1:. mm. 

